treifah

Treifah is a term in Jewish dietary law describing meat or other foods that are not kosher due to disqualifying defects or injuries. The word, from a root meaning “torn,” historically refers to a carcass deemed unfit for consumption because of wounds or illness. In modern practice, treifah denotes meat that cannot be eaten as kosher because it fails to meet the conditions of kosher slaughter or inspection.

For land animals to be kosher, they must have split hooves and chew their cud. Birds are generally disqualified based on signs indicating non-kosher species. After ritual slaughter (shechita), the carcass must be free from certain defects. Rabbinic literature lists disqualifying conditions—the “treifot”—such as serious injuries to internal organs, certain diseases, or defects that would render the animal non-kosher even if slaughtered properly. If such a defect is found, the meat is considered treifah and forbidden for kosher consumption. If an animal dies on its own or is killed by another animal before slaughter, it is neveilah, a separate category; treifah refers specifically to post-slaughter defects or injuries.

Treifah status also applies to birds and, in broader terms, to non-kosher status in other contexts. For fish, the basic rule is different: fish are non-kosher if they lack fins or scales, rather than being categorized by a treifah list.

In contemporary Jewish communities, kosher authorities inspect carcasses to identify treifot. Meat labeled as treifah is not permitted for kosher consumption, while meat free of listed defects remains kosher if other kashrut requirements are satisfied. The concept reflects an ongoing effort to preserve dietary purity as defined by halacha.